Growing Up in Lancaster County Read Online Free PDF

have no time for play.
    When Rachel entered the house, she peeked into the kitchen. The floor was clean, but Mom was no longer there. Thinking Mom might have gone to the living room to do more cleaning, Rachel headed in that direction. She found Mom lying on the sofa with her eyes shut.
    Rachel tiptoed across the room. “Are you sleeping?” she whispered.
    Mom opened her eyes. “Almost.”
    “What about our walk to the creek?”
    Mom released a noisy yawn. “I’d better not today, Rachel. After all that cleaning, I’m really tired. You’re free to go outside and play while I take a nap.”
    Rachel shook her head. “I’m not in the mood now.” She trudged up the stairs, stomped into her room, and fell on the bed. “Always trouble somewhere!”
    She stretched her arms over her head until they bumped the headboard. “We can’t go to Hershey Park; I couldn’t go to town with Grandpa; the greenhouse won’t be built until June; I had to do chores all afternoon; and now Mom’s too tired to walk to the creek. What a disappointing day!”

Chapter 4
Seeing Is Believing

    “ D id ya see that pretty butterfly?” Orlie asked Rachel when she and Jacob entered the school yard Monday morning.
    Rachel looked around. “Where? I don’t see a butterfly.”
    “Over there!” Orlie pointed to a bush across the yard. “Do you see it?”
    Rachel grunted. “No, I don’t. Are you teasing me, Orlie?”
    “Of course not.” Orlie’s nose twitched when he gave her a crooked grin. “I never tease—you know that.”
    “Jah, right! You tease a lot, and I’m sure you’re teasing about the butterfly.”
    “No, I’m not.” Orlie poked Rachel’s arm. “Maybe you can’t see the butterfly because your eyes have gone bad. Maybe you should go to the doctor and get your eyes checked.”
    “I don’t need a doctor. I can see just fine!” Rachel’s long skirt swished around her legs as she ran through the grass. She was almost to the schoolhouse steps when she heard a squeal. She looked around. She saw Audra cowering in the bushes near the porch.
    “What’s wrong?” Rachel asked.
    Audra’s chin trembled. “I—I dropped my backpack.” She stood up and pointed to the backpack lying in the bushes. “I–I’m afraid to pick it up b–because there’s a spider on it.”
    Rachel knew Audra was afraid of bugs, but she’d never realized how much until now. The poor girl was actually shivering, and it wasn’t the least bit cold.
    Rachel stared at Audra’s backpack. “I don’t see a spider. It must have crawled away.”
    Audra continued to point. “It’s still there. See…on the flap.”
    Rachel squinted. “I don’t see a spider. Are you teasing me, Audra?”
    “Of course not. Why would I tease about seeing a spider?” Audra’s face turned red. “Would you kill it for me, Rachel?”
    Rachel shook her head. “Huh-uh. If there is a spider on your backpack, then the little critter has the right to live.” She turned toward the porch.
    Audra dashed to Rachel and clutched her arm. “Please, don’t go. I—I need you to kill that spider!”
    “Du kannscht mich net uffhuddle; ich bin zu schmaert
[You can’t confuse me; I’m too smart],” Rachel said.
    “I’m not trying to confuse you. There really is a spider,” Audra said in a shaky voice.
    Rachel grunted. “If you think so, you’d better kill it yourself, because I’m not going to.”
    “
Eww
…I could never do that! What if it jumped at me?” Audra thrust out her lower lip. “Please, Rachel. If you won’t kill the spider, will you at least get it off my backpack?”
    With a frustrated grunt, Rachel bent, scooped up the backpack, and gave it a shake. “Is the spider gone now?”
    Audra studied the backpack and nodded. “Jah, it’s gone. Danki, Rachel.”
    Rachel plodded up the stairs, shaking her head. She couldn’t believe Audra was afraid of a little bitty spider. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t been able to see it on Audra’s backpack